What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

This weekend

Three ice hockey players on the ice during a game.
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Ice Hockey Victoria Premier A Grand Finals Series

Melbourne’s Premier A Grand Finals hit O’Brien Icehouse for fast, high-level ice hockey.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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Borneo Night Market

A vibrant, family-friendly cultural event celebrating the food, culture and heritage of Borneo.

A room with people mingling and a large poster of the Brandenburg Gate that says German Week.
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German Week

Two weeks of culture, art, food, business and plenty to see, taste and do across the city.

A young girl stands on stage with fallen ballerinas all around her in a production of The Nutcracker.
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The Australian Ballet: The Nutcracker

Rediscover the childlike joys of the holiday season with the magic of The Nutcracker ballet.

An audience watching a film.
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Environmental Film Festival

Environmental Film Festival is back with 23 films screening over two weeks.

A movie poster of Edward Scissorhands showing Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder in a garden setting.
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Edward Scissorhands in Concert

The MSO performs Danny Elfman's ethereal and emotive score live to picture.

Angled view of people in a theatre setting listening to a lecture, a plant on a table.

Friday Night Social: Radio Climate

Enjoy Science Gallery Melbourne’s free Friday night parties with their latest exhibition.

Indian dancer wearing traditional dress in a crowd of dancers with confetti.

Thrive: Multicultural Women’s Festival

Celebrate culture, connection and community at a free festival for all at Queen Victoria Market.

Dance participants on a stage at a festival, dressed in vibrant traditional Indian costumes representing characters and classic dance forms.

Victorian Festival of Diwali

Showcasing India’s ancient and modern culture through music, dance, craft, food and a bazaar.

A group of dancers performing a lively, synchronised choreography outdoors in traditional-inspired performance attire.

Melbourne Diwali

Celebrate this cultural festival with music, dance and food at Marvel Stadium Square.

People at an outdoor market interacting with stallholder wearing a blue hat.

Melbourne Makers' Market

A curated showcase of the city's finest contemporary art and design.

Stalls at the Queen Vic Market selling collectables, with people walking around and browsing, with a large sign hanging from the shed ceiling that reads SWAP MEET.

Swap Meet: Cards, Collectors and Fandom Edition

With over 40 exhibitors there’s something for all collectors at this swap meet.

Two individuals wearing matching white quilted puffer jackets at an outdoor market in front of green foliage, with one person making a peace sign.

The Lygon Street Market

A monthly open-air market held on the first Sunday of the month.

Halloween events on this weekend

A black and white image of a woman in a waistcoat and tie in front of a spiral image of black and white circles.
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A Twist of Fate: Halloween Special

Scary Goats Theatre's creepiest collection of short horror-comedy plays by local writers.

A vertical stack of books spine facing out, on a table inside a library.

Spooky Silent Reading Party

Embrace the eerie ambiance of the library after closing time and immerse yourself in a spooky read.

Three children in neon-lit Halloween costumes in a creepy Halloween scene lit up with purple and green neon lights.

Halloween at the Museum: Family Event

Dress up in your favourite costume and explore the museum after dark as galleries come alive.

An outdoor space at Harbour Esplanade Docklands, featuring a large overhead hanging sign that reads THE STREET SOCIAL, a white picket fence, DJ equipment and a view of the harbour and city buildings.
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The Street Social: Halloween

A festive Docklands waterfront Halloween event for families and friends.

A large, orange inflatable Halloween jack-o'-lantern with a textured surface, a brown stem on top, and sharp, purple facial features of triangular eyes and a jagged mouth.

Melbourne’s Biggest Halloween: Free Trick or Treat Trail

Free Halloween fun, with trick or treat, giant pumpkin, prizes and a free Melbourne Star ride.

A performer on a stage, seen from behind with an audience in front of him.

Hella Queen: The Horror House of Diesel

This Halloween, Section 8 and House of Diesel are teaming up again for Hella Queen.

People in Halloween costumes dancing.

Halloween at the Museum: The Haunted Gala

The ultimate adults-only after-dark Halloween celebration for spooky style-makers and night owls.

An event setup inside the historic cell block of the Old Melbourne Gaol showing a view of the ground floor with people socialising, as seen from the balcony level of the cell block.

Halloween at the Old Melbourne Gaol

Step inside of Old Melbourne Gaol this Halloween and experience the haunted location after dark.

Person dressed as a Halloween devil with horns and skull at a themed party.

International Halloween Party

Come along to a large multicultural Halloween social night.

A group of people dressed in Dracula themed costumes all holding wine glasses.

Murder Among Monsters: Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner

An immersive three-course dinner where monsters mingle and someone ends up dead.

A person sitting at a small table draped in red fabric, performing a tarot card reading in front of a dark red curtain backdrop, surrounded by lit candles and crystals.

Halloween Tarot Reading

See what the tarot cards have in store this Halloween at Le Méridien Melbourne.

An individual behind dark vertical prison bars under purple and reddish dramatic lighting, wearing a light-coloured shirt with an emblem on the chest.

A Spooky Escape at the Old Melbourne Gaol

Step inside Old Melbourne Gaol this Halloween and see if your family can escape the haunted prison!

Artwork featuring the back of a witch in a tall hat walking through a misty hollow surrounded by lanterns all glowing orange.

Witches Market

A special Halloween witches market with crystals, candles, cauldrons and much more.

A picture inside a room with candles, halloween images, a woman wearing a mask bearing a drink and a large rabbit with glowing red eyes standing in a gothic window.

Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner

A fully immersive murder mystery dinner where you solve the murder.

Two people in elaborate Mexican Day of the Dead costumes.

Dia de Muertos: The Catrina Walk

Celebrate Mexican culture, music and traditions at a free, family friendly Día de Muertos festival.

Regular weekend events

Two people seated below a neon sign.
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The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

Animator and filmmaker Adam Elliot working on a claymation set, adjusting characters.
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Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

A plate of fluffy pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate over the top.
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Chocolate Family Adventure Day

Enjoy an all-inclusive, stress-free family outing filled with fun, creativity, and delicious treats.

Three long narrow boats with people seated in them and a guide standing at the rear of each boat, punting on the lake at Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Punting on the Lake

Glide between the bays and islands of Ornamental Lake on a guided boat cruise.

Man holding an old-fashioned lantern outside illuminated Flinders St Station at night, wearing a suit and cap.
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Hidden Melbourne: Ghosts, Murder and Mystery

Take a spine-chilling journey back in time to explore the rich paranormal realm of Old Melbourne.

Black and white photograph from the 1960s of model, Twiggy, wearing a mini-dress at the Melbourne Cup.
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Swinging 60s

This exhibition looks at what it was like to live in Victoria during the 1960s.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with trees in the background.
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Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Three people on a walking tour with a Fit City tour guide, two carrying a takeaway coffee.
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Laneways and Lattes Walking Tour

Explore Melbourne’s hidden laneways with coffee, street art, history and culture.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
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Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

Workshop class participants smiling in a studio setting, holding up mosaic pots and coasters they have made.
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Mosaic Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn the art of creating beautiful mosaics from start to finish.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

Workshop participants smiling and holding multicoloured mosaic tiled coasters.
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Colourful Mosaic Coaster Workshop

Come and make mosaic coasters and step into the world of colours.

A close up of flower made from enamel craft
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Cloisonne Enamel Painting Workshop for Beginners

Create a unique drink coaster using the ancient cloisonné art.

Three smiling workshop participants in a studio space, holding up jewellery they have made.
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Polymer Clay Earring Workshop

Create beautiful jewellery in this fun workshop.

A checked tablecloth with a High Tea spread on top with pink teacups and teapot and plates of cakes and sandwiches.
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Picnic High Tea

Enjoy a High Tea picnic against a backdrop of stunning city views.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

Cheese and wine display on a table near a window.
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High Cheese

A bold three-tiered journey showcasing local and international cheeses, inspired by fire and water.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
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Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
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EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
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Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

A gallery space with paintings displayed on one white and one yellow wall, plus a series of totems or tree trunks displayed in a white stand in the middle.
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Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the Gum Tree

Discover how the iconic gum tree has inspired centuries of Australian art and culture.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
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World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

Stand-up comedian Sam Campbell, talking into a microphone they hold in their hand, performing live on stage.
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Main Stage: Stand-Up Comedy

Have a laugh with stand-up comedy from Australia's best comedians, plus international drop-ins.

Three ballerinas on a darkened stage in glowing tutu dresses.
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Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Singers and dancers on a theatre stage in a scene from A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, with spotlights and stage sets.
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A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

An inspiring, exhilarating, energetic musical memoir.

A still from a videogame depicting a Chinese soldier fighting two warriors in front of an ancient Chinese temple.
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Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart

An free exhibition that playfully reimagines modern Chinese history as a videogame.

Egg yolk pouring out of a long sub sandwich with cheese and salad.
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Gourmet Sandwich Hunt

Elevate your sandwich style with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Grilled cheese toastie on a plate.
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Vego Toastie Hunt

Elevate your vego sandwich with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Artwork by Margaret Preston depicting Banksia flowers in a pot.
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Margaret Preston

NGV's new retrospective exhibition on Margaret Preston.

A solar eclipse, with light emerging around the edges of the blacked-out sun.
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Solar Tours

Come and experience the wonders of the Sun at the historic Melbourne Observatory.

A dancer performs on a brightly illuminated stage wearing a white tutu and bodice outlined with glowing green neon lights, behind her is a framed portrait of two women.
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Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Two theatrical costumes on display in front of a red curtain, featured in the ENCORE! exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.
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Encore!

50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. Treasures from the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.

An egg-shaped figuring with a brown cowboy hat and a pistol.
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NEW26

The return of the much-loved NEW exhibition series at ACCA.

Oktoberfest-themed illustration with man wearing a Tyrolean hat holding steins of beer, pretzel and meat, with a Melbourne tram.
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Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus

Celebrate German bier, food and music as the Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest turns 58.

Aerial view of an outdoor market on Southbank promenade, showing the Yarra River with boats on the right, market umbrellas and stalls on the concourse and city buildings in the background.
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Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

Performer on stage doing circus tricks, acrobats hanging in the air.
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Fijian Flying Circus

A world-first fusion of Fijian storytelling and contemporary circus.

A contemporary Indigenous artwork featuring a black cockatoo against a vibrant pink and marbled background.
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Future Dreaming

Explore 217 original small artworks by First Nations artists in Victoria’s prisons.

Portrait of a woman with her face painted blue and embellished with gold stars, wearing a colourful, fan-like headdress.
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Passage: The Art of Atong Atem

NGV presents the first-ever major solo exhibition of contemporary artist Atong Atem.

Participants on the State Library Victoria Unlocked guided morning tour inside the iconic dome at State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
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State Library Victoria Unlocked

Join an exclusive guided tour and experience State Library Victoria before the doors open.

Novelty wind-up chattering teeth against a yellow background.
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Basement Comedy Club: Weekend Showcase

Bringing you the biggest names and best comedians in the country, and beyond.

A person's hands holding up a timber-framed oil painting of a farmland landscape with blue skies.
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Maria Radun: In the Moment

Oil paintings inspired by the diverse landscapes of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
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Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

Four rows of people sitting smiling and laughing.
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Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Enjoy stand-up comedy from future stars and celebrity guest headliners.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
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Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

A green linocut of a flower and foliage printed on paper and a fabric tote bag.
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Tote Bag Block Printing Workshop

Style your bag just the way you like it with block printing in this beginner's workshop.

Four cabaret performers surrounded by pink and yellow feather fans.
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Cabaret Ridiculous

An hour of variety entertainment that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.

Woman in blue dress sitting in a garden, with face upturned.
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Forest Therapy

Unwind with forest therapy (shinrin-yoku) and immerse your senses in nature.

Close-up view of a hand-woven wall covering featuring a textured beige background with minimalist geometric designs.
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Camille Laddawan & Kokoro Kimura (JP): Aura

An exhibition of new works by Camille Laddawan and Kokoro Kimura (JP).

Man with no hair singing into a microphone live on stage, another person on stage in the background, the entire image bathed in a warm yellow-orange light.

Relax with Max

Enjoy a unique blend of funk, soul, afro-beat, R&B and gospel from these legends.

A group of friends playing the board game dungeons and dragons at Fortress Tavern Melbourne, with a Dungeon Master dressed in a witch's costume leading the game.
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Dungeons and Flagons

Forge friendships through adventure at Dungeons and Flagons at Fortress.

A realist artwork of mandarins nestled in white fabric.
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Genevieve Gadd-Carolan: Always A Student

A reflection of the commitment to the lifelong pursuit of learning and artistic discovery.

A black and white photograph of a family eating a meal at the family dining table circa 1950.
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You Have a New Memory

An exhibition that explores how and why we remember, through the lens of the Library's collections.

See all events on this weekend

More to explore

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

A night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

People on deck chairs watching a movie in Fed Square on a large screen.

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A chef cooking meat skewers over a flaming grill.
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What's on in November

Things to do in Melbourne in November, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.